Climate Action Day 2010

Sunday, October 10, was Climate Action Day at the North Attleboro Farmers' Market. Last year at this time, climate activists gathered at Brennan School in Attleboro in an event that focused on getting political leaders in Washington to enact climate legislation before a global climate conference in Copenhagen. This year the focus was on local action and the farmers' market is a successful example of the kind of change that strengthens local economies while also being good for the planet.

The market is open every Sunday from 12 noon to 4 pm. It is located at Attleboro Farms, a garden center in North Attleboro, Massachusetts. What began as a weekly summer market, and then a winter market, has evolved into a year-round mainstay with a loyal following of environmentally conscious consumers from Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. A typical Sunday draws 400 to 500 people to shop at 20 or more market stalls. The market features fresh produce as well as a variety of locally-made food products such as bread, pickles, jams, sauces, and sweets.

The North Attleboro Farmers' Market is located at Attleboro Farms Garden Center, 491 Hickory Road, North Attleboro. The location is on Route 120, one and a half miles west of the intersection with Route 1.

The theme of Climate Action Day 2010 was "Global Work Party" and banners like the one above were seen in more than 7000 locations around the world.

Stephanie with a cake she baked for the occasion.

Our information table at the market.

A close-up of the cake, which shows the correlation between the rise in the earth's surface temperature over the last 150 years and the rise in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. The CO2 level has exceeded the safe level of 350 parts per million since the 1980s.

Team Massachusetts (a group of students from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and the University of Massachusetts) provided a preview of its plans to compete against 19 other collegiate teams from around the globe in the 2011 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

Team Massachusetts is designing a home for a family of three that will be affordable and comfortable while creating more energy than it uses. In the fall of 2011, the team of students will construct the home on the National Mall in Washington, DC,

Ron Carlson, from Union Cycle, Attleboro, demonstrates how bicycles can be outfitted and maintained to serve as a local transportation option that is practical and efficient, as well as being good for the planet. Ron commutes by bicycle to his job year round.

Several videos on climate change were screened. You can view the same playlist on YouTube here.

In this exhibit, visitors were asked to fill in the blanks on climate change causes and cures.

Some comments left by visitors on what kinds of changes we need to make as a society to minimize the extent of climate change.

Visitors entered their thoughts on the risks and benefits of taking action to minimize climate change--or doing nothing.

Time to cut the cake!

Dave provides visitors with a graphic way to "voice" their opinions on climate change.

This photo montage that Dave created was uploaded to the 350.org website. Dave posted all of the individual photos here.